Sen. Jack Reed (D., R.I.) was caught on a hot mic telling Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine) on Tuesday that she could "beat the shit out of " a Republican congressman who had criticized her and other female Republican senators who were hampering Obamacare repeal efforts.
The two senators were at the markup of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2018 discussing multiple issues among themselves when Reed skewered Rep. Blake Farenthold (R., Texas).
Farenthold said in an interview last Friday that he might settle Republican opposition to health care efforts "Aaron Burr-style" if the senators were men from his home state of Texas, according to CNN.
Reed said that there were some "crazy people" in the House, which prompted Collins to ask him whether he had heard of Farenthold's remarks. The comment appeared to be a reference to the 1804 duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, which resulted in Hamilton's death.
"I know, trust me. You know why he challenged you to a duel? Because you could beat the shit out of him," Reed said.
"He's huge ... he's so unattractive, it's unbelievable," Collins said.
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Collins went on to reference a picture of Farenthold in 2010 standing next to a lingerie model in his pajamas.